Strong(er) Campaign Launched

Students Unite to End Current Academic Labour Unrest

Toronto, ON—College students from across the province are uniting to deliver a simple equation to both the colleges and the over 10,000 full-time academic staff, “Strong Academics + Strong Colleges = Strong(er) Students”. The College Student Alliance (CSA) and its members are launching the Strong(er) Campaign today to remind the colleges and the faculty of their shared role in creating strong students and graduates.

“With faculty set to vote on the colleges’ ‘final’ offer this week and the very real threat of a province-wide academic strike looming over the college system, students are concerned as their education hangs in the balance,” says Justin Fox, President of the College Student Alliance.

Bargaining Overview

Under the new Colleges Collective Bargaining Act (CCBA), 2008 bargaining between the College Compensation and Appointments Council (the Council) and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) would begin 90 days prior to the end of a collective agreement.

With the full-time academic staff’s (full-time teachers, Counsellors, Librarians and partial load teachers) collective agreement expiring on August 31, 2009, bargaining began in June of 2009.  Both sides met throughout the summer in an effort to reach a new agreement, but unfortunately, both sides could not find enough common ground on the major issues of a new agreement (e.g. financial and workload).  After a mandated month long recess during September, by the Ministry of Labour appointed conciliator, both sides went back to the table in October with the hope of reaching a new deal.

SML (Strike My Life)

Do you have something to say about the potential strike at Ontario’s colleges?  If so, tweet your thoughts, comments, frustrations, etc. to @strikemylife.